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Courchevel , France

The resort of Courchevel is located smack in the middle of the Alps in the Savoie department of France, above the town of Moutiers. It is part of the Trois Vallées which, at the time of writing, is the largest lift-linked, interconnected ski area in the world. The ski mountain opens from approximately mid-December until April, depending on snow conditions.   

Courchevel, with its access to many other ski areas, should tick all the boxes for every type of skier.  As well as great skiing to suit all levels, it offers many other snow activities, great nightlife, and a variety of accommodation and restaurants to suit all budgets.  Courchevel (especially Courchevel 1850) is a magnet for the wealthy from all over the world and those who to stay there are likely to find their wallet emptied faster than you can say Mais Oui!

There are several ways to get to Courchevel, but the closest is via Chambery airport, which is 1.5 hours away, or Lyon or Geneva airports.  Courchevel has its own mountaintop airport, but it is for small aircraft only and definitely not for the faint-hearted!  Many skiers prefer to take the train that connects from Paris and London and stops at nearby Moutiers.

The ski areas at Courchevel are named for their altitude in metres (1300,1550,1650,1850).  As part of the Three Valleys, the areas at Courcheval are linked to Meribel, Val Thorens, Saint Martin de Belleville, Les Menuires, Brides les Bains, Orelle and La Tania. 

Courchevel caters to all types of skiers, but is well set up for beginners and intermediate skiers, with several nursery slopes serviced by drag lifts.  Courchevel also has a huge ski school with multi-lingual instructors. Boarders will find a satisfying variety of parks and pipes. Night skiing is available above Courchevel-1650.  Experts will find plenty of challenging terrain, as well as off-piste skiing and heliskiing.

When it comes to apres-ski and nightlife it depends largely on the area chosen as a base.  Courchevel 1300 (a.k.a Le Praz) is at the lowest altitude and arguably the most down-to-earth, while Courchevel 1850, the highest altitude resort, has a reputation for the being the glitziest and liveliest.  1850 is the place to find the high-flyers, millionaires, and a glamorous nightlife to match.  At 1850 there are world-class hotels, restaurants and shops, with price tags to match - although more modest accommodation can be found.

Le Praz (Couchevel-1300) is the original village of Courchevel and famous for having hosted the Olympic ski jump competition at the Winter Olympics in 1992.